Improvement in trusses



N-PEERS, FHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C @sind (git-stes @tutti @WinaE. B. HARDING, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 104.952, dazedJuzy 5, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN TR'USSES.

The' Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent nd msling part of thesame,

*awry*- To all 'whom it rmay concern .i

Be itv known that I, E. B. HARDING, of Northampton, Hampshire county,Commonwealth ot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful ImprovedTruss; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and cleardescription thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings-.-

Figure 1 is a plan view;

Figure 2, a side view;v

(Iligure 3, a sectional view of my improvements; an f Figure 4 is a viewof an auxiliary spring.

The object of' this invention is to obtain, by means of attaching auimproved spring, a truss, which shall be easy ot'wear, which can haveits pressure on the afflicted part regulated to different stages ofcouvrau lescence, aud which shall have an upward pressure against thepart ofthe body to which it is applied.

rlhe arrangement of this pad, in connection with the belt for attachingit to the body, and keeping'it in the proper place, is by means of aspring, C, the peculiar construction of which produces the importantresults ofA giving a more general fit, and bringing no hard substance incontact with the body, except so far as the pad may be considered inthat light.

,This spring O, as it will be seen, consists of a frame,

cut out of sheet ste'el, or other spring metal, suitable for the purposeof forming two spring bars D and E, with central cross-piece F, bywhich'it is attached to thepad and two end bars, G and G, by which thebelt is attached, as shown in the figure.

The lower bar D is curved outward from the pad at a greater curve thanthe upper bar E. This is for the purpose of bringing an upward pressureupon the afdicted part, the greater stiffness of the lower part ofthespring, combined-with the exteusonof the end or belt-bars G. G, belowthelower spring bar, D, and the increased curve of the bar D, allteiyiding to throw the lower part of the pad further inward, andconsequently upward, as the Upper part acts as a partial pivot. i

1n order to render the spring more 'or less stiii, as the patient mayrequire at dilferent times, I use au adjustable auxiliary spring, J,which is cut out of sheet metal, in the shape of an H, end insertedbetween the spring O and pad, the piece H operating in conjunction withboth upper and lower'bars.

The spring may be T-shaped, if necessary, to stiEt'en only one bar. A

By means of thescrewv M, connecting the pad and spring piece O, thisauxiliary can be applied in a few minutes without trouble, or as equallyeasily taken off, so that by means of au auxiliary T or H spring, one orboth ot' the spring bars E and D may be stiffened at will, while,as'lesspressure becomes necessary to hold the separated musclestogether, the auxiliary spring may be removed.

rlhe belt consists of a Asimple strap, of whatever material may be mostconvenient, and it has no spring or other hard substance init to 'annoythe wearer by chaling, y

Now, having described Vmy invent-ion, What I .claimas new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, .is-

The spring C, for a truss, when iliade with greater curvature, andprolongations of the lower bar, for producing an upward pressure, allarranged and applied in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

E. B. HARDING. Witnesses:

EDWARD H. HYDE, R. F. HYDE.

